Dancing figure toy



y 1950 E. amass 2,509,805

DANCING FIGURE TOY Filed March 8, 1948 [diva/J B -W INVEN TOR.

Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE This invention relates to a dancing figure toy and more particularly to a device of this kind of a wheeled type.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy wherein a manikin having freely movable arms and legs is mounted upon a portable body together with a swinging platform position below the manikin and supported for intermittent con-' tact from below with the manikin when the device is in transit over a support surface to cause the manikin to simulate a clog dance.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a toy wherein is embodied a portable body provided with an upstanding post to support a manikin above and free of contact with the body together with a swinging platform position between the body and manikin and through which the post freely extends' and wherein the platform is intermediately moved into contact with manikin when the body in in transit over a supporting surface.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved dancing figure toy whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating a toy embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, B denotes an elongated and relatively wide body member of the desired dimensions and which has its forward end portion bifurcated, as at l, to provide the forwardly directed side arms 2.

Secured to the outer faces of the arms 2 at the free extremities thereof are the depending fiat bearing elements 3, possessing a certain degree of inherent resiliency. The lower portions of these elements it freely receive the extremities of the axle 4 for the rotatable member R. The lower portions of the elements 3 can be readily sprung outward sufficiently to effect the desired mounting of the axle 4.

The member R comprises the two substantially duplicate side wheels 5 of preferred radii and between which is arranged a substantially elliptical cam member 6 extending radially across the wheels 5 and of a length substantially equal to the diameter of each of the wheels 5. The longitudinal faces a are arcuate from end to end and preferably on corresponding radii.

The rear portion of the body member B is provided with the upstanding spaced lugs i between which is pivotally held as at 8, an end portion of a forwardly directed arm 9 having its free forward end portion underlying and secured attached to a marginal portion of a platform P.

As shown in the drawings, the platform P is circular in plan and of a diameter to extend beyond the outer ends of the arms 2.

The central portion of the platform P has an opening l0 through which extends an elongated upstanding post or rod H carried by the body member B at its forward end portion.

At a point substantially midway of the arms 2, the platform has depending therefrom an arm 12 which carries the downwardly disposed spaced spring bearing plates It between which is rotatably supported, as at I5, a wheel iii, which has rolling contact with the longitudinal arcuate faces a of the cam member 5 as the member R rotates during the transit of th device. The contact of the wheel H5 with the faces a of the cam member 6 is maintained by gravity.

When the device is in transit over a supporting surface, the platform P is caused to intermittently swing upwardly and to drop under the action of the cam member 6.

Freely engageable with the upper portion of the post or rod H is the body ll of a manikin M of preferred type. The body I! has extending therein from below and at substantially the axial center thereof an elongated socket 53. The upper extremity of the post or rod H is preferably pointed as at 19 for contacting with the inner or closed end of the socket I8 to facilitate turning movement of the body ll around the post or rod l l.

Dangling from the lower portion of the body H are the articulated leg members L between which the post or rod l l is positioned.

Pivotally connected to each side of the body If at the upper portion thereof, as at 2B, is an end portion of an arm member 2 5. These members 2| are substantially in duplicate and in the general form of a reversed L and are unbroken from end to end.

When the platform P is at the limit of its downward movement, it is substantially parallel with the top of the body member B and when in such position the platform P is spaced from and below the manikin M on the post or rod l I. However, as the platform P is thrown upwardly by the cam member 6, the leg members L are forcibly struck from below causing the leg members L to swing in an erratic manner and at the same time sufficiently vibrating the body I! to effect swinging movement of the arm members 2|. The action of the platform in striking the leg members L also causes the body member to have rotating action o'n-the rod-or post II whereby the action of the manikin M is further increased together with increased attractiveness of the toy to the child.

In the present embodiment of the invention,

the device is of a push type and has exterrding upwardly and rearwardly thereof, a rigid push handle member 23 of desired length. "As'lierein comprised, the handle member 23 is carried iby and rigid with a depending prop 24 carried by the rear portion'of the body member. When the device is at rest, the prop zlcontacts the supporting a pair ofbearingel'ementsextending downwardly therefrom in spaced relation; a rotary unit'c'dfifl prising twowheelsand an intermediate' mernber between 'andfcoupling the wheels-togetherland ah axle extending at its" ends beyond" the outersides of the wheelsf the'unit being between I said bear" ing element s and having' the axle ends rotatably connected with such elements,"saidintermediate member having two opposite, outwardly bowed intersecting faces, a platform above and pivoted on the body for vertical swinging, a manikin supported above the platform and having free moving legs adapted to be struck by the platform upon up and down movement of the latter, an arm carried by the platform and extending downwardly over the turning axis of said unit, and a roller upon the lower end of the arm having rolling contactwith said outwardlybowed faces.

"2:"Awhe'ele'd toy comprising a long fiat body member having a slot in one end edge, a pair of upstanding ears adjacent to the opposite end thereof, an arm having one end pivotally mounted between said ears for vertical swinging, a pair of spacedbearings extending downwardly from the bodyladjacent -to the said one end edge, a pair o'fwh'eels'rotatablysupported between said bearingsy'a' platform upon the arm and having a portion overlying said slot, a manikin supported above the platform and having articulatedqlegs spa'ced'from the platform to bestruck upon upand down movement of the platform an' arm,

rigidly secured at one :end to the platform and extending down therefrom through saidwslot, said last arm being in line with and perpendicular-tothe' 'turning axis-ofthe wheels, a cam bodysupported between said wheelsto-turn therewith-and a contact element carriedupon-the lowerend of v the last named arm and engaging said cam body.

, V EDWARD BRIGGS.

'The following references are of record in the file of this-patent; UNITED STATES PATENTS Number" 

